Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Greek Military Recruits
Author Information
Author(s): German Vasilios, Giannakos Georgios, Kopterides Petros, Liaskonis Konstantinos, Falagas Matthew E
Primary Institution: 401 Army General Hospital of Athens, Greece
Hypothesis
What is the current prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among military recruits in Greece?
Conclusion
The study shows a further decline in the prevalence of chronic HBV infection among Greek military recruits, indicating the effectiveness of the immunization program.
Supporting Evidence
- 62.17% of recruits had antibodies against HBsAg.
- Only 0.32% of recruits were found to be HBsAg positive.
- Younger age and higher educational level were associated with higher anti-HBsAg seropositivity.
Takeaway
This study looked at young soldiers in Greece to see how many had hepatitis B. It found that fewer soldiers are getting the virus, which means the vaccination efforts are working.
Methodology
The study involved serological testing of 1,840 Army recruits for HBV markers and analyzed associations with demographic factors.
Potential Biases
The study may not accurately reflect the HBV status of recruits due to the lack of vaccination records and potential selection bias.
Limitations
The study's findings cannot be generalized to women or high-risk populations, and vaccination records were not available for analysis.
Participant Demographics
All participants were male military recruits aged 17–34 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.60
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 0.82–0.92
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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